High splice structure for fullfashioned stockings and method of making the same



Nov. 28, 1950 W. NEBEL HIGH SPLICE STRUCTURE FOR FULL-FASHIONED STOCKINGS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1947 WML/AM A/sasL A 7702M Y W. RUCTURE FGR FULL-FASHIONED Nov. 28, 1950 NEBEL HIGH SPLICE ST STOCKINGS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1947 Arron/5% Nov. 28, 1950 w. NEBEL 2,532,072

HIGH SPLICE STRUCTURE FOR FULL-FASHIONED STOCKINGS AND METHOD OF, MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec. 24, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 W/u. IAM M55154 3 mac/Moa- A TTOEA/E 5 Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE HIGH SPLiCE STRUCTURE FOR FULL- FASHIONED STOCKINGS AND METH- OD OF MAKING THE SAME William Nebel, Charlotte, N. 0.

Application December 24, 1947, Serial No. 793,617

4 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a full-fashioned stocking of the single unit type having a leg por tion, a high spliced portion, a heel portion and a foot portion and forming the high spliced portion by widening during the formation of the high spliced portion and preferably forming the widening marks within two to four wales of the selvedge wale of the stocking so that the widening marks will be hidden in a seaming operation, widening the heel portion which merges with the high spliced portion, then knitting a plurality of courses at the middle of the heel pocket and then narrowing in the lower heel portion to produce a perfectly fitting single unit stocking which has a much better fit and less strain on the loops than other single unit stockings heretofore produced.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a stocking having leg narrowings extending to the vicinity of the top edge of a high spliced porwidening loops will be hidden in a seamin operation and after the high splice portion has been knitted, then knitting the remainder of the stocking blank in a conventional manner. v

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stocking made in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view looking from the righthand side of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the lower portion of the stocking blank employing my invention;

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the upper righthand corner of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but omitting the leg narrowings immediately above the high spliced portion.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral it indicates the lower leg portion of a stocking. As is well known, in the knitting of a single unit stocking, the welt portion is first knitted and then the main leg portion and as the leg portion approaches the foot portion suitable calf or lower le narrowings are employed 1 for reducing the size of the stocking to fit the leg of the wearer. Sometimes these narrowing marks stop substantially short of the high splice of a ladies'stocking in order to produce what is known as a large ankle, but in Figure 3 there is a plurality of narrowing marks H disposed adthese narrowings in the leg portions are indicated in Figure 4 by reference character I2 to produce the narrowing marks H, and when the point [3; is reached the high spliceH is commenced and is continued without widenin or narrowing for approximately eight courses as at It and the reinforcing thread is knitted along with the body thread. After about eight courses have been knitted, widening out of approximately two needles on each side of the blank occurs as at it; and approximately ten courses are knitted as, Then widening out two needles at each.

at It. edge of the blank occurs at l! and another ten courses are knitted as at !8. courses are knitted, then widening out takes place as at 26, and approximately twelve courses are knitted as at 2! without either widening or nar rowing.

When these twelve courses have been knitted 29, 38, 35, 32,33, 34, 35, 36, 3?, 33 and 3E and cOntinued until approximately twenty-one of the widening courses indicated at 24, to 39 have been completed. When the heel pocket is begun, the

reinforcing thread is extending further inwardly in steps as to ii to present an ornamental efiectand to give better wear.

.At this point indicated at 48, approximately forty courses are knitted as at 43 without either den ng 01' narrcwing. {Then beginnin at point, 44, the lower heel narrowings are begun by nar rowing two needles at the sel,vedge edge of;the

blank at each narrowing operation throughout 0 the line of narrowing marks indicated at t5 the first three steps oinarrowin having five courses hlwgcn the narrowings and-then three more When these ten v steps of narrowings having four courses between the narrowings and three more steps of narrowings having three courses between the narrowings and then six narrowing steps having two courses between the narrowings and then three difierent narrowings having three courses between the sets of narrowings are knitted, and then three more stepsof narrowingseachhaving four. courses between the steps =of narrowingszand then: three other steps of narrowings having five courses between the steps of narrowings at which? point indicated at 46, the narrowings in the lower heel have been completed and therest ofthe foot is knitted to where the'toe'narrowings: 4'! occur without either widening or narrowing;

It is to be noted that throughout thehighz spliced portion, the proximate edges of the high spliced reinforcement in the bleinkand indi cated at 48 in Figure 3 stop on an identicalwa'le so as to present a refined appearance to the outer. edgesof the. high splice in thefinished. stocking the high.- splice as shown in. Figures; 1 and..2.

It .is. thus. seenthat I have provided -ar single. unit' fullfashionedlstocking having. leg -narrowings: extending to. the. top of. the. high spliced; portion. and. then. having ,the widening .immedi: ately. occur and progress..-throughout the. high. spliced portion with. the widening. marks being. preferably disposed adj acentl the selvedge. edge so that the widening marks. will Lber. hidden .ina seaming operation andsaid'high spliced portion. merging. with; the upper portion. of; the.. heel' packet which .mayhave-its widening, marks with? inafew wales or. theselvedge edge so thatithese widening. marks. in the upper. heel? pocket :willl likewise be hiddenina.seamingoperatiom. The stocking also. has. narrowings. in.the lower; part of Lthe. heel: which. may beadjacent. theselived'g'e. wales? sothat thesenarrowing. marks. will. also. belcovered in aseaming operation.

In. Eigure.5 aslightli modified; form ofjtheinvention is. shown which is. identicaL to. thestructure previously described; withrelation. to? Figures 1 to-4..with.the exceptiontthat the lower. 45 legsportion. or ankle I portion. adiacent the top end of. the high: spliedLportion. does. not. have... any narrowings whatever, thus. providing whatf isknown as a wider ankle stocking, butlthehigh spliced. portion. and theuppen heel portionand. 5e

the lower heel portion are knitted exactly as: previously, describedwith.. relation. to Figures 1.to.4inclusive.

Itimight be. noted. that. after substantially, all; of thehigh. spliced portion of. the heellblanks havebeen knitted; the reinforcing yarn.is ex.- tended inwardly towardltheimiddle of. the. blank. of J the. stocking. in. stepped. relation as 7 indicated. at 49 to thus provide an. ornamental. effect to.- theheel'portion.

In the drawings and specification whileIhave 1 describedspecifioally the numbers.of.'narrowings and lwidenings, the numbers ofneedles narrowed. and the number. oiiloourses. between.- .narrowings; or widenings, it. is. specifically. understoodthat I 65 am not limited to such..numbers of. needles 01:; courses. between the narrowings andlwidenings; but. thatany approximate numberswould .fall. within the scope. of; the. invention. asit. is; evi.-- dntthat. where. four. courses araknitted. be. tween. the narrowings: or wideni'ngs, .that.l this; couldzbe. three. or. fivacourseswor. any. reasonable variationthereofi.

In. the. drawings. and;specifieationthereehas;

invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a single unit blank for a full-fashioned stocking havingan anklerportiongandheel portionszand a legrportion withllg narrowings therein adjacent the selvage edges and disposed immediately above the ankle portion, said blank having, ankle widenings extending downwardly along thezselvageedges from the point where the leg; narrowings; stop, high spliced portions beginning at the point of widening along each edge offtl'iezbl-malleiand having the edge of each of the high spliced portionsxin the blank remote from the'selirage edge'occurring in a continuous Wale and. the reinforcing thread forming the high spliced portions extending outwardly in each widening operation to prov-iderhigh-spliced portions having narrow: upper portionsand. graduallyzwideninglower portions inerging into the upper heel: portions.-

2.- That method ofjknitting a .single; unitzfull? fashioned. stockingblank whicht comprisese nar= rowing. theblank at the lower endof the legpore tion as it approaches: the ankle portion, then; widening the .blank at the-salvage edgesmntilthe upper heel portions 'are'reached; .andattthesamea time. feeding; splicing: yarn :to a=plurality of the. outermost needlesat. each edge. of theblank; during the :widening operation with: the splicing; yarn. stopping, inspaced: parallelzwales. remote: from the selvagesedgestof the blank; and.form;-.- ing all .of the. widening and narrowing marks; within two or three waleslfromthe.edgeofithe blank-so thatthe-narrowing and..widening,-;marks will be hiddenina'seaming operation .to complete: thestocking;

3.. Irrablank for asfull-fashioned stockingghavr" ing a. leg portion: with leg-, narrowingstherein immediately above-thesankle portion=and having. ankle swidenings along the :selvageeedges and ex,

tendingqdownwardly from the: point where-thelegqnarrowings-lstop; high spliced.- portions-.beaginning-5 at the; point. of starting of; the ankles: widenings and having the. proximate edges"; of? the high aspliced portions -:in the blank occurring in..two.- parallel .wales; and; the: reinforcing; thread 1. forming. the two; high. spliced: portions; extending; outwardly in each widening operation :toprov-ides high .spliced. portions each having a narrow up"- per portion and. atgraduallyywidening lowers. ,portion.

4. That method of knittin a -.full-fashioned stocking. blank .whch :comprises narrowing at-ithe lower end. of the leg. portion. as. it. approaches-- the ankle. portion; then. wideningkbyv placingthe widening marks near the selvageedges untiLthe upper. heel portions arereachedand. at the same time feeding splicing-yarnsto theneedles-along" the outer edges of the blank during. thewidening; operationzwith the inner. edge of. the widening yarn for each high spliced portionstopping inraw continuouswale, and forming allcf thewidena ing. and narrowing. marks-- within; two: or. three: wales from. the. edge ofthea-blankiso. that... the."

narrowing; andwidening; marks will-be; hiddemin'; x a'. seaming operation tocomplete: the. stocking:

WILLIAM.NEBEL.-

(References omfollowingmage.)

been set forthaupreierred'l embodiment Of, the-1s;

5 REFERENCES CITED Number The following references are of record in the 2,207,606 file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 214241957 Number Name 1 Date 488,487 Terry et a1 Dec. 20, 1892 1,712,344 Graeber May 7, 1929 Number ,998,369 Heinitz Apr. 16, 1935 25,350 2,009,923 Heinitz July 30, 1935 10 276.413 2,154,602 Berger Apr. 18, 1939 222 28;

Name Date Berger July 9, 1940 Mack Oct, 13, 1942 Smetana. Nov. 10, 1942 Schletter July 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1894 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1927 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1943 France Feb. 21, 1903 

